Process for converting a railway-track renewal train and vehicle for carrying out the process

Abstract

A method and apparatus for converting a railway-track renewal train into a train for laying new railway track. The railway-track renewal train includes a first truck bearing on a bogie rolling on a renewed track, a second truck bearing on spaced first and second bogies of which the first bogie rolls on an old track and the second bogie moves on old ties or sleepers, and various means for removing the old rails and sleepers and for laying new rails and sleepers. The bogie of the first truck is mounted onto a vehicle designed to remain on site and having a motor for moving the vehicle on the ballast or platform. The vehicle is moved in the direction of movement of the renewal train or in the opposite direction dependent on whether an old railway track is removed or new track is laid.

I claim: 
     
       1. A vehicle for converting a railway-track renewal train into a train for laying or removing railway track, the railway-track renewal train including a first truck bearing on a bogie capable of rolling on a track and a second truck bearing on spaced first and second bogies, said vehicle comprising: supports on which the bogie of the first truck of the railway-track renewal train can roll;   at least two chassis for supporting said supports and having means for rolling on the platform in the absence of a railway track;   a rigid structure for joining the at least two chassis;   means for blocking the bogie of the first truck on said supports; and   motor means for driving the vehicle;   said blocking means including a buffer fixed at an end of each of said supports for engaging a front part of a respective front wheel of the bogie of the first truck, and a lever associated with said buffer and spaced therefrom and actuatable to a position in which an end of said lever engages a rear part of the respective front wheel to prevent the bogie of the first truck from rolling on said supports.   
     
     
       2. A vehicle as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an independent supply source for feeding said motor means. 
     
     
       3. A vehicle for converting a railway-track renewal train into a train for laying or removing railway track, the railway-track renewal train including a first truck bearing on a bogie capable of rolling on a track and a second truck bearing on spaced first and second bogies, said vehicle comprising: supports on which the bogie of the first truck of the railway-track renewal train can roll;   at least two chassis for supporting said supports and having means for rolling on the platform in the absence of a railway track;   a rigid structure for joining the at least two chassis;   means for blocking the bogie of the first truck on said supports; and   motor means for driving said vehicle, said motor means comprising hydraulic motors fed from an energy supply source of the bogie of the first truck.   
     
     
       4. A vehicle for converting a railway-track renewal train into a train for laying or removing a railway track, the railway-track renewal train including a first truck bearing on a bogie capable of rolling on a track and a second truck bearing on spaced first and second bogies, said vehicle comprising: support rails for supporting the bogie of the first truck of the railway-track renewal train;   a pair of crawler chassis for supporting said support rails and having means for rolling on the platform in the absence of a railway track;   a rigid structure for joining the two pairs of crawler chassis and capable of absorbing inequalities of the platform;   means for blocking the bogie of the first truck on said supports;   motor means for driving said vehicle; and   means for loading and unloading the bogie of the first truck onto and from the vehicle, said loading and unloading means comprising a sloping ramp to be positioned at an end of the railway track, a horizontal plate forming a bridge between an elevated end of said ramp and said support rails, first pivot means for pivotally attaching said elevated end of said ramp at one end of said plate, and second pivot means for pivotally attaching an opposite end of said plate to ends of said support rails.   
     
     
       5. A vehicle as set forth in claim 4 further comprising a vertically adjustable plough attached at a front end of said vehicle for equalizing the surface of the platform on which the vehicle moves during laying of the new track. 
     
     
       6. A method of converting a railway-track renewal train into a train for laying or removing railway track, the railway-track renewal train including a first truck bearing on a bogie rolling on a renewed track, a second truck bearing on spaced first and second bogies of which the first bogie rolls on the old track and the second bogie moves on one of a platform and old sleepers devoid of rails or moves above the platform, track renewal working means including means for removing the old sleepers, equalizing the platform, laying new sleepers, for removing and guiding old rails, for guiding and laying new rails, and for transporting the old and new sleepers, and driving means, said method comprising the steps of: rendering ineffective said track renewal working means;   providing a vehicle designed to remain on site and having motor means for moving the vehicle on the platform;   mounting the bogie of the first truck onto the vehicle; and   moving the vehicle in the opposite direction to the movement of the renewal train to lay new track or in the same direction to remove old track.